Trekipedia

D’ama class

The D-4—which was the predecessor of the famed D-7 and was known to its Klingon builders as the D’ama, or “predator,” class—pioneered the command-pod design that would later become the standard for most Klingon warships in the late 22nd and 23rd centuries. The class was introduced in 2142 with the commissioning of eight ships, and was produced at the alarming rate of one per month at facilities operating as if under wartime production orders. It wasn’t until Operation Dixie in the 2280s that it was discovered that the Klingons were, in fact, being attacked by an unknown enemy. During this conflict, the D’ama class saw extensive action and went through several different modifications, most of which were never brought into active production. The conflict ended about two years later, slowing further development.^[1] The Klingon Ship Recognition Manual indicates its production date was 2242, but given the appearance of a similar design in the Star Trek: Enterprise episode “Unexpected”, and the appearance of the D-5 class later in the series, 2142 is a more likely date.

References

• ^[1]FASA-2301: Klingon Ship Recognition Manual